Been Trying To Get A 100% Id Card..and The Va Is Playing Games

[leftyf]

Received this email this evening. I'm so damned confused about what I'm entitled to..and most of the veteran help boards are useless as they use the term ID Card, MWR Card, Commissary & PX card" VA...etc, interchangeably. I've talked to other 100% vets and they got MWR, and it was included on their ID card, as a matter of course, on one ID card, not two.

Are they using two cards now?? If two cards are being issued, how long is the *MWR* card good for?? My only real reason for getting the card is for the MWR priveleges

Any help would be appreciated. I cannot be the only person in the VA system having h*ll getting a simple d*mned ID Card.

Here's their message:

From: Dept of Veterans Affairs <iris_service@mailps.custhelp.com>

To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Subject: [inquiry: 110121-001748]

Date: 01/24/2011 06:26:10 PM

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 31 days.

If you wish to update this inquiry, please click on Reply and enter your additional question.

Please do not re-enter your name, file number, social security number or other personal information you have already provided to us in this Inquiry. Please just enter your question or comments.

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

Discussion Thread

Response Via Email (Department of Veterans Affairs) 01/24/2011 06:26 PM

Dear Mr. XXXXXXXXl:

This is in response to your January 21, 2011, inquiry to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

You are only entitled to commissary and exchange store privileges through 100 percent service connected disability. Morale Wellness and Recreation (MWR) benefits are not included with these privileges. We suggest you contact your local base for eligibility criteria for MWR privileges. If you need another commissary letter please respond to this inquiry and provide us with your claim number or Social Security number.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other contact information below.

Sincerely yours,

E. J. Kruse

National IRIS Response Center Manager

pac

How to Contact VA:

Online:

www.va.gov

By phone:

(800) 827-1000

(800) 829-4833 (TDD hearing impaired)

By fax:

(540) 597-1792

[oldranger821]

MWR is Moral, Welfare, and recreation. If you google the base or army post that you use. Almost all of them have a MWR section. Bringit up and you will see that you are elidgable to use these services.

[jvretiredvet]

FWIW, the "color" of the ID card issued for 100%/TDIU vets is brownish, the same as for AD/Ret dependents.

Unless, of course, the veteran is retired from AD. The current color is for retired military is blue.

I believe the ID cards will be changing, at least for retired military. Also, I understand that Social Security numbers will no longer be entered on any ID cards.

[10thFO]

x x x See Attached Fast Letter

DoD instructed its facilities that “honorably discharged veterans determined by the VA to have a

service-connected disability of no less than 60%, but rated 100% disabled based on individual

unemployability are entitled to MWR, Commissary and Exchange privileges.” This instruction is

still in effect.

Okay, I know I'm late to the game here, but I believe this is what I have been looking for. This year I got a letter stating that I was 80% service connected but 100% TDIU, due to unemployability when it came to a new law that the state of Virginia had passed for Veterans that were 100% getting a real estate tax exemption. (in Va. you have to be all or it's nothing, no step down basis in tax relief). So after recieving that I finally got property tax taken care of. I called the VARO today, and asked if i was marked as P&T. Answer was no, but felt I should ask. I have been interested in wether I could get an ID card or not, because Ft. Drum NY actually has a pretty decent MWR program, and I have a cottage up on Lake Ontario, and could use some of their resources there. So if I print out this letter, or call the VARO and inform them that I need one of these letters/form for my PX privileges I would be eligible. That's what I'm reading, but I know the difference between what I read and what the VARO's will approve. Anyone else with experience?

As a secondary issue, my TDIU was back dated to 2004, is there anywhere I can find out about the 10/20 rule for myself and my wife. With the PTSD rating, I can't afford the life insurance rate of over 2K a month, so wondering if I should apply for P&T now, or just wait for year 10 to see what happens. I'd like to see that my son's college is paid for and he will be 8 this summer. So I can't wait for 20 years to hit, in case I pass before then.

[JON]

I live in Idaho. When I was granted TDIU, it said nothing about being "permanent" or "no further exams" etc. I called Boise VARO(at the capitol and asked for letters for license plates, fishiing/hunting license, etc. I received several letters addressed to different agencies advising I was "permanent and total TDIU" and eligible for the goodies. I also asked for and received the letter to get the MWR card, which I took to Fairchild AFB, Spokane Wa. and received ID cards for me and the wife. Mine is permanent, hers expires every few years(I guess in case of divorce or whatever). Anyway CALLl your state VARO and if you are eligible, they'll send you the letters without hassle. Remember to ask for everything, fishing/hunting, tax exemption, plates, etc.

[desertshield]

Link to see types of ID cards: http://www.cac.mil/uniformed-services-id-card/

[militarynurse]

Maybe worth a call: DMDC Support Center (DSC) help desk at one of the following numbers: 1-800-372-7437

I know of a situation where a Veteran's dependent children were being given a hard time because the ID issuing center insisted on using DOD criteria for the kids instead of the VA's criteria for dependent status. Turns out, after the Vet called the DMDC they said the VA had, as an DOD authorized agency to certify status, already put the kids in DEERS. Vet went back to the issuing center with that info and they issued the ID cards on the spot.